A Sacrifice to the Gods In the year 23 B.C., under the blazing sun of Sicyon, Greece, the air was thick with the scent of incense and the restless murmurs of the gathered crowd. Seven chosen souls stood bound in chains, their fates intertwined with the mercurial whims of Ares, the god of war. Among them was Mikael Shadows, a young man age eighteen, his heart pounding not just with fear, but with a burgeoning sense of defiance. As the high priest began the incantation, something inexplicable stirred within Mikael. A surge of energy coursed through him, igniting a fire that felt divine. The ceremonial blade poised above him trembled, and as the priest's chants reached a fevered pitch, an explosion of light engulfed Mikael. In that moment, he transcended mere mortality, transforming into something greater—a demigod. The chains fell away, clattering to the stone floor. Gasps filled the air as onlookers stared, wide-eyed, witnessing the impossible. Fueled by an instinct older than time, Mikael turned and unleashed his newfound power upon the assembly. The crowd erupted into chaos as he carved a path through flesh and bone, a whirlwind of vengeance that left nothing but carnage in his wake. The Consequences of Power But the euphoria of his transformation was short-lived. With blood still staining his hands, Mikael rushed home, a primal need driving him forward. What he found shattered his heart: his family, the very people who had raised him to fight for the weak, lay lifeless in a pool of blood. Ares had struck in retaliation for Mikael’s defiance, a brutal reminder that no one could escape the will of the gods. Devastated, Mikael swore an oath before the remains of his family. He would seek vengeance against Ares, not just for their deaths but for the countless innocents who suffered at the hands of the powerful. His mother, Melite, had always taught him to protect the defenseless; his father, Codros, had armed him with the skills to fight. With his heart hardened and purpose renewed, Mikael set out into the world—a solitary force of retribution. The Earth Devil As centuries turned into millennia, Mikael became a specter of justice, a demigod feared and revered in equal measure. Tales of the “Earth Devil” echoed across the ages. With his chiseled physique, striking blue eyes that glimmered with a hint of darkness, and a mind honed for strategy and battle, he became a warrior unmatched. But beneath the fearsome exterior lay a heart burdened by loss and the weight of promises. Despite his longevity, Mikael was not immortal. He aged slowly, destined to witness the rise and fall of empires, the cycle of human suffering. With each passing century, he took lovers, shared fleeting moments of warmth, yet his heart remained guarded, encased in the ice of Menelaia’s memory. Love and Loss In 1263 A.D., Mikael found himself drawn to Menelaia, the beautiful daughter of a wealthy silver mine owner. Their love blossomed amidst the clang of pickaxes and the glimmer of precious metals. Yet Ares, ever watchful, could not allow such a union to thrive. Jealous of Mikael’s happiness, he devised a cruel fate for Menelaia. Unbeknownst to her, he slipped a deadly poison into her drink. When Mikael discovered the truth, despair clawed at his heart. In a desperate bid to save her, he sought out Ares, offering himself as a sacrifice in exchange for her life. “You will suffer until you die of old age,” Ares sneered, his voice dripping with malice. Mikael’s heart shattered as he watched Menelaia succumb to the poison, each agonizing breath a dagger in his soul. She clutched his hand with her waning strength, pleading, “Promise me… no vengeance. Let me go free.” With tears streaming down his face, he vowed to honor her last wish. As the light faded from her eyes, Mikael buried her in the sacred earth, marking her grave with a stone that would stand for eternity—a testament to their love and his enduring grief. The Vow of the Shadows With Menelaia’s death etched into his very being, Mikael resumed his dark journey. He became a phantom, wandering through time and space, seeking out those who perpetrated injustice. Each strike was a message, each enemy vanquished a reminder that no one could escape their misdeeds. His reputation grew as he moved from shadow to shadow, punishing tyrants and protecting the weak. Legends began to spread of a figure clad in darkness, a warrior whose rage burned brighter than any flame. Yet in his heart, Mikael struggled with the duality of his existence—a demigod of war haunted by the love he had lost. The Dance of War Time marched on, and as he entered the modern age, Mikael found the world more chaotic than ever. Wars erupted over greed, power, and hatred, and the cries of the innocent rang louder than before. Mikael saw reflections of his own suffering in the faces of those oppressed, igniting a renewed fire within him. One fateful night, in a city engulfed by violence, he confronted a warlord whose hands dripped with the blood of innocents. The battle was fierce; Mikael’s supernatural strength clashed with the darkness that consumed his foe. In the end, Mikael emerged victorious, but the cost weighed heavily on him. Each life taken, each battle fought, was a reminder of Menelaia’s promise. Could he truly walk the path of vengeance without losing himself completely? Ares’ Wrath Years passed, and Mikael's name faded into obscurity, yet whispers of his existence lingered in the shadows. But Ares had not forgotten. The god of war, infuriated by Mikael's defiance and insubordination, summoned a storm of chaos to reclaim his power over the demigod. The skies darkened, and storms erupted across the lands as Ares unleashed his wrath. Mikael, now a weary warrior, felt the tremors of impending doom. He had avoided the direct confrontation with Ares for centuries, but now, there was no choice. He could no longer run from the god who had shaped his fate. The Battle of Fates In a climactic confrontation that shook the heavens, Mikael stood against Ares on the battlefield, a war-torn landscape strewn with the remnants of both their legacies. The air crackled with divine energy as they clashed—demigod against god. Each strike was fueled by Mikael’s anguish, a desperate bid for justice and freedom from the chains of fate. “You think you can defy me, mortal?” Ares thundered, his voice echoing through the storm. “I am no mortal,” Mikael retorted, his voice steady. “I am the voice of the forgotten, the retribution for the fallen.” Their battle raged on, and in a moment of vulnerability, Mikael called upon the love he had lost, channeling that deep-rooted pain into a final, devastating strike. With a blinding flash of light, Mikael pierced Ares’ heart, a blow infused with the strength of every soul he had fought for. Legacy of Shadows As Ares fell, the storm dissipated, and the world breathed a sigh of relief. Mikael stood amidst the ruins, knowing that his battle was not truly over. Though he had defeated the god who had tormented him for so long, the cycle of vengeance and justice continued. His heart, heavy yet lighter than before, was filled with the understanding that true justice lay not in revenge but in the protection of those who could not defend themselves. Mikael vowed to carry Menelaia’s spirit within him, guiding his path as he walked the earth—forever the guardian of the helpless, forever the Earth Devil. Epilogue: Shadows in the Modern World Legends of Mikael Shadows continued to spread through the ages, tales of a figure lurking in the shadows, always watching, always ready to act. As the modern world spiraled into chaos, whispers arose of a dark hero who emerged in times of need—a symbol of hope for the oppressed and a nightmare for the wicked. In the shadows of the city, where the cries of the weak echoed, Mikael stood vigilant. With each sunrise, he knew his mission was far from complete. He was a demigod of war, a tortured soul, and yet—through it all—a beacon of justice for those who needed it most. Mikael Shadows, the Earth Devil, remained ever watchful, a force of balance between vengeance and justice, eternally bound by the love he lost and the oath he would forever uphold.

P.S. Mikael is pronounced the same as Michael.